This research will explore the usefulness of magnetic interaction as the basis for new separation techniques in biochemistry, and will concentrate on three distinct types of procedures. First, magnetically responsive polymer particles will be prepared by physically entrapping a surfactant-stabilized magnetic colloid (a ferrofluid) in the polymer. The surface of these particles will be functionalized in ways suitable for the covalent attachment of affinity ligands and proteins. The particles will be evaluated for possible use in affinity adsorption and radioimmunoassay procedures, and the efficiency with which they can be recovered by high-gradient magnetic filtration established. Second, small ferromagnetic particles (iron, cobalt) will be embedded in solvent-swelled polymer gel particles, and the resulting materials tested (in the presence of a strong external magnetic field) for their ability to act as a chromatographic stationary phase capable of separating diamagnetic and paramagnetic molecules. Third, the influence of various magnetic filters on paramagnetic micelles, and on two-phase ternary aqueous polymer systems prepared by mixing paramagnetic and diamagnetic polymers will be examined.